Fuchs Audio Technology TDS-100 Tripledrive Supreme Head

This is an updage to my previous review. Even though factually correct, and honest as to what I experienced with the amp, it is not totally complete.

I had had ups and downs with my experience with this amp. I have complained to Andy about the manual, because it just isn't right to not update the documentation...but he also has agreed to send me the addendum for it. I feel 100 percent right about the manual, it is needed, and the customer deserves the correct information. That's not negotiable.

But on the tone, I added more in sound quality...

Andy makes recommendations on the speakers (see my previous review) and because of where I am, and resources I couldn't get the exact speakers (none of the preferred ones) that he mentioned. I know now from research that others have mentioned that "D*mble"-like amps are very particular about the speakers. So that is part of the equation.

Another is, I haven't tweaked any of the pots inside, and from the outdated manual, and others, I get the real impression there is a lot to be gotten by doing this. Unlike most amps where you shouldn't really tweak inside, I think this is more designed to help the customer tailor their sound. I think this may be my best chance to get the most out of the amp. I ended up buying a pretty expensive cab here (THD) and it did work well. Andy has helped, and says that the reverse polarity cable is not necessarily that sure that it is needed, but on the fuchs forum they mention it a lot, and my ears did tell me that it made a difference.

As mentioned, some amps also shine in a group situation...some pedals too, that can sound a little on the harsh side alone, get it in a club and even just playing on a solo intro, but also with the band, it sounds full and nice.

Like I said, I'm not refuting what I previously wrote, I have spent a long time trying to learn this amp, and I put in the time, but also I may have not known what I was getting into as far as what I could or should expect from a D**ble type amp.

I still feel mixed aboout it, but kinda hopeful that with a few tailored tweaks of some pots, and all, that I might really end up with something.

It might just be me. I've been honest, but I think also many people love this amp (not many reviews here, but on forums) and I hear great clips from them with it so...

There used to be an "ease of use" catgory here, if there still were I would give that rating a 3. I find at least that the amp is very difficult to use...but as far as features it has a LOT of them, so I would have given a 8 rating on features...so overall I give it a 6.

My amp was made early in 2008. Has three channels. Effects loop (this is covered in the previous review).

One gripe I have is the "manual". It is a manual from an earlier version of this amp, some of the knobs (AND FUNCTIONALITY!!) is changed, but that is not reflected in the manual. Another thing, it is well understood in the users world and acknowledged that because of the gain stages, this amp needs to have a reverse phase external speaker cable to sound its best. This is not even mentioned in the manual. Fuchs promised that they were coming out with a new manual "soon" but though I sent my warranty in to them, and asked specifically for them to send me the new manual, haven't yet heard from them.

There are a lot of features on this amp, especially with the footswitch, but...I may just be a little slow, but I find that many of the settings on the footswitch cannot be used in a real situation. What I mean is, if I set the amp one way, and then turn on the MID or GAIN button on the footswitch, the sound changes drastically. It might just be that they gave a person like me too many options, and I can get some great sounds using some of the buttons. On the other hand, without the updated manual (and I have tried to check if the function is the same, and it seems to me it isn't) I am not sure if the GAIN switch really turns off all EQ set on the amp or not. Also the mid...

The main thing, this amp costs a fortune, relatively, and I expected a REAL manual with the amp. One that refers to the actual knobs and settings in it. At this price I think that ought to be a given. I'm a little perturbed about this sloppiness.

one note: I paid through the nose for this amp, even though I live in a european country and the dollar was LOW, because they don't adjust prices for that. If I had paid for this in the US it would have been a good deal cheaper.

I have tried several strats, and a Les Paul with the amp.
I have to preface this with a disclaimer...I may have expected the wrong sounds out of the amp.

Let me start by saying that the main problem I have had with the amp is to match up speakers that can do it justice. I tried my Marshall 4 x 12" stack, and it wasn't happening. I tried a Marshall 1922 also and it really wasn't happening. Andy Fuchs recommends to stay away from Vintage 30's with this amp. I tried many other combinations and ended up feeling that the THD 2 x 12" cab worked best. After that I tried a 15" Peavey cab (with a Weber speaker in it) and this was the BEST one so far. Finally I started hearing some great sounds out of this amp.

The amp is touchy. I am not meaning to just diss the amp, it has some amazing sounds, and I feel like it must be my shortcomings..
Put it this way, the amp is VERY special, I've never had an amp like it before, but it is VERY touchy too. The clean sound is amazing. I never had a problem with it. I can set settings many different ways and get great sounds out of it. It has a deepness that is just amazing.

But the OD channels (two of them) are the hard nut to crack. I don't know if it is my ears or what, but sometimes it sounds amazing, but other times it sounds too harsh, and there is like some frequency missing that makes it sound "wrong". Sometimes I can dial it in and be ecstatic, other times I can't get it right at all.

My band broke up just before I recieved the amp, and from experience with pedals and such I do know that playing alone in my music room is completely different than with a band. I did have it with me at a couple of band practices with another band, and it sounded pretty good, but there were issues with cut. It may have been my settings.

To sum up, I haven't returned or sold the amp, and I doubt I ever will. I don't regret buying it, but I do think it is one of the most finicky and difficult amps I have ever owned. Maybe because of the features...but I have spent more time trying to dial in my sound with it than any amp I have ever owned. At about the same time I bought a Soldano SLO-100 used, and it is just a dream. It gets my sound right away, no adjustmen hardly. On the other hand, the TDS-100 has SOMETHING that is amazing. I think mainly a real manual (along with some suggested settings) would have helped immensely.

I don't know how to rate it. This amp gets under my skin. I love it and hate it. Now and then playing along with some album, it sounds fantastic (why I think it can be THE amp for a band situation) and other times it gets so harsh and "hard" sounding, with some frequencies that make it hard to hear....

It may just be me.

No issues here.

I think they have good customer support. I should contact them, and it isn't fair that I complain about it without having had a conversation with Andy or his folk...on the other hand, I just can't fathom an amp in this price class with an outdated manual.

I've been playing guitar since 1972. I have had a number of amps, my first was a Ampeg VT-22 with 4 10's.

If stolen or lost I would not buy this amp again. It is too much work. I love some of the sounds, but find it too touchy. I wasn't expecting it so sound like a Soldano SLO-100, but I was expecting a smoother OD channel(s).

I can't give it a low rating, because I believe it is me that is the problem here.

This amp was made in 2007, it has 3 Channels: Clean, Crunch, and Lead designated as A, B, and C. It is very versatile for Blues, Country, Jazz, Classic Rock, and Fusion. It has an effects loop that can be switched between series/parallel and a level trim, plus send and return level volume knobs. It came with the artist footswitch which allows you to switch between channels and add a gain boost and/or a mid-boost for all the channels. The only thing missing from the footswitch is the ability to switch the reverb on or off. This is the 100 watt version that uses 4-6L6's in it. It has a bold/sag switch on it that affects the way the output power supply responds. In either position, it has plenty of headroom and power. This amp can be used in the smallest of venues to large ones. There are voicing switches for channel A, along with shared voicing switches for channels B/C as well as the usual tone knobs of most amps.

The tone of this amp is heavenly! In the clean channel, you have all the swirly 3-D cleans you can ask for. With the voicing switches and the Treb, Mid, Bass controls you can go from Wes Montgomery Tones to the jangliest of Country tones. This is the Bentley of clean channels. B gives you a crunch that can go from a slightly gritty clean to a Robben Ford lead tone. C gives you a delicious Eric Johnson violinish lead tone if desired. The B and C share the voicing switches and Treb, Mid, and Bass controls, but this is never a problem as the amp is super touch sensitive as well as responsive to your guitar's controls. It is very easy to vary the tones just by the way you attack the stings. on top of all this, the amp is quiet. No loud hissing here. the only style this amp can't do is metal. It is not voiced in this way at all. For that type of voicing, Fuchs makes the Frost (great amp, but not my style anymore) and the Train 45 (which I should have soon)

I've only had it a couple of months, but I know people that have owned Fuchs for years and have not had any problems other than the usual tube replacements.

Andy Fuchs is very helpful and answered all my questions about the amp and what I can expect from it. I'm a tech, so I will do all my own servicing if needed, with Andy's blessing if needed.

I've been playing for over 26 years and have owned many other amps. I have finally settled on the Fuchs TDS100, Fuchs Train 45, Mesa MKIII Green Stripe, and Red Iron T-Rex. All these amps cover it all. I'm done. If someone stole this amp, much prayer would be needed for me to not "eliminate" the person who did it! But, I would not hesitate to replace it as soon as I would be able to. I love all the tones this amp produces. It is also my main amp for all my gigging. It is very pedal friendly as well. The parallel loop is spectacular as well as the Reverb. There is nothing in this amp that I hate. I compared this amp to D-Lite 44, Two Rock, and Ceriatone Overtone, Guytron F/V 100, but overall this amp suited me best. For all the features this amp has, it is the best value of the amps listed above.